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DURANT, Okla. – Southeastern Oklahoma State University’s Flight Team took on the big schools and finished third overall in the Region VI SAFECON (Safety and Flight Evaluation Conference) competition on October 16-20.

The National Intercollegiate Flying Association (NIFA) event was hosted by the University of Nebraska in Omaha.

Also competing in the week-long event were the University of Oklahoma, Oklahoma State University, Kansas State University in Salina, the University of Nebraska in Omaha, Parks College in St. Louis, and the University of Central Missouri.

Southeastern finished third in ground events and third in flying events to achieve its overall third-place rating.

Nebraska-Omaha placed first overall, followed by Oklahoma State.

The top-three finish earned a bid for Southeastern to compete in the national SAFECON next spring. That event will be hosted by Indiana State University in Terre Haute, Indiana in April 2018.

“I am very proud of the young men on our team, not only because of their impressive finish, but because of the way they represented Southeastern,” said Kyle Thomas, assistant professor and Chief Flight Instructor in Southeastern’s Aviation Sciences Institute.

“This was a total team effort. Everyone contributed. To me, that makes their accomplishment even more special. I am especially happy for our seniors. I wanted them to have one more chance to compete at the national level.”

Derek Bolin (senior, Fort Smith, Arkansas) finished second in Ground Trainer, seventh in Computer Accuracy, ninth in Power Off Landings, ninth in Short Field Landings, and 10th in Navigation with Luke Carson (junior, Plano, Texas). Carson also finished eighth in Power Off Landings.

Taylor Nelson (senior, Owasso, Oklahoma) finished eighth for the Top Pilot Award, competing against more than 100 pilots. He also took third place in Short Field Landings, 10th place in Simulated Comprehensive Aircraft Navigation, and fifth place in Message Drop with Joshua Brown (freshman, Van Alstyne, Texas).

Joseph Hammer (senior, Dike, Texas) placed sixth in Aircraft Preflight, sixth in Computer Accuracy, and 10th in Power Off Landings.